Electric starter for internal-combustion engines



June 17, 1930. s. STEINER' 1,754,905

ELECTRIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

6" SEQ-1 1256,"

June 17, 1930. STEINER 1,764,906

ELECTRIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

Patented June 17, 1930 I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOTTLIEB STEINEB, OF SOLOTBURN, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR "10 SCINTILLA A. G.,

013 SOLOTHURN, SWITZERLAND ELECTRIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed December 22, 1928, Serial No. 327,954, and in Germany March 15,1928,

This invention relates to an electric starter for internal combustion engines with an axially moving pinion which is caused to engage with the ring of teeth on the flywheel of the internal combustion engine. In order to facilitate the engagement of the pinionin the toothed wheel of the engine to be start ed and to prevent the rapid wear of the pinion through jamming in the teeth of the 10 toothed wheel, which is caused by the teeth of the two being opposite one another, it has already been proposed to impart to the pinion an axial to and fro motion and simultaneously a slight angular motion.

According to the invention the same object is effected by a current reversing switch for the starting motor being controlled in dependence on the motion of the pinion shaft.

In the accompanying drawing a construe tional example of the invention .is shown diagrammatically, Fig. 1 showing the whole arrangement and Figs. 2 to 4 an electromagnetic current reversing switch in different positions. The rotor A of the starting motor which is rotatable with respect to the field winding F, is mounted on the sleeve W which is journalled in the starter casing and is coupled by the-coupling L with the intermediate sleeve Z. In the intermediate sleeve Z the shaft of the pinion R, which is provided with a thread, is journalled. O is the switching in magnet for'the current reversing switch V, which is fed from the battery X and the spring contact pieces P, Q, S, T of which make contact from both sides with the leading in contacts G, K, when the switch is in the inoperative position, (see Figs. 1 and 2). When the magnet O is energized, by

closing the-switch Y, it attracts the switch 40 member V- and the contact pieces P, 1 come in contact with the leading out contacts M,

N, while the contact pieces Q, S remain in contact with the leading in contacts G, K. A

current will then flow from the battery over 4 e s itch contacts G, S, T, N, the field winding F, the switch contacts M, P, Q, K and the armature A back to the battery (compare Fig. 3). The motor starts and the pinion is screwed out of the intermediate sleeve Z and is brought into an engagement with the ring of teeth on the flywheel of the engine. In case the pinion should not come opposite a gap between the teeth of the toothed wheel of the engine, but the teeth of the two wheels should come opposite one another, the sleeve W commences by means of the laminated coupling L to screw back the intermediate sleeve on the threadofthe pinion shaft. During this motion the sleeve H is moved relatively to the spring B and this spring and the spring G are stressed until the attractive force of the electromagnet O is overcome. The spring C then propels the pin J against the switch member V and the reversing switch is operated in such a manner that. as shown in Fig. 4, the contact pieces Q, S rest against leading out contacts D, E and the contact pieces P, T rest against the leading in contacts G, K. The current will then flow in i the opposite direction through the field coils F and the starting motor will change its direction of rotation. The intermediate sleeve Z is then moved forward again. the pinion B being given a slight rotary motion, and the spring throws the pinion towards the toothed wheel. thus ensuring the engagement of the two. decreases again and the electromagnet O attracts the switch member V, the contacts being momentarily opened.

What I claim is:

1. An electric starting device for internal combustion engines including an electric motor, a ring of teeth on the engine flywheel, a pinion on its shaft engaging therewith by axial train. -ation and simultaneous slight rotation, a current'reversing switch and means, operated by arresting the axial translation of said pinion, forchanging over i 16 Said current reversing switch,

The stressing of the spring C.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecmeans for changing over the reversing switch include a member intermediate between the electric motor armature and said 5 pinion shaft.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for changing over thevreversing switch include a member intermediate between the electric motor armature and said pinion shaft and an electromagnetic biassing device for the said reversing switch sub stantially as and for the purpose specified. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GOTTLIEB ST INER. 

